Police are hunting a driver who failed to stop for repairs though his bus was experiencing gear problems.

After reaching Pa Ngam the high point of the hilly area in Wang Nam Khiaw on Route 304 he failed to stop for repairs. Instead he went down the hill unable to engage the gears. The runaway double decker bus, full of passengers hit a passenger van and a pick up causing many more injuries. The bus came to rest by the side of the road with its roof open to the night air. The driver of the vehicle, run by Sri Monkhol Khon Song Co Ltd, fled the scene. The bus plies the Ubon – Pattaya route reported Daily News

The accident happened around midnight this morning. Police found one person dead on the bus. Almost four dozen people from the bus and the two other vehicles were taken to several local hospitals. Seven seriously hurt were later transferred to other larger hospitals.

Passengers told police that the bus – that had earlier picked up people from Nakorn Rachasima – was experiencing problems with its gears but on reaching the top of the hill the driver did not stop to do repairs. Instead he went down the steep hill and collided with the other vehicles. Police found the Isuzu pick up some 60 metres off the road and the Khon Kaen passenger van had overturned.